Kids Mixed Martial Arts -- Life Skill: Respect

At Peak Performance, we build our kids up to be champions in life! One of the ways we do this is through our Life Skills program. We have a total of 12 Life Skills, one for every month. Each month, we go over the Life Skill: defining the skill, telling them examples, having them provide examples, working on each Life Skill at home, and we also try to incorporate the Life Skill into our class.

This month’s Life Skill is Respect: a feeling or understanding that someone or something is important, serious, etc, and should be treated in an appropriate way.

How does Peak help instill Respect?

Respect, the courteous regard for others, is a very important life skill to have. It is the common courtesy that everyone is expected to give one another. At Peak, we believe in teaching the kids at a young age the importance of respect, and how to go about expressing it.

There are many ways in which we teach respect. One way we teach it is, “do unto others as they would do unto you,” or treat others how you want to be treated. No one likes to be treated unfairly or in a rude manner. So, in order to be given respect, to be treated fairly, and in a kind manner, one must first start by treating others in the same way.

Another way we teach respect, is through attention. When anyone (i.e. a coach, parent, teacher, friend, etc…) is talking, be sure to give them your full attention. Listen to them, have good eye contact, don’t interrupt them and speak out of turn, and don’t fiddle with other things (i.e. playing with their belts). It is disrespectful when someone is trying to talk to you or teach you something, and you are not given them attention.

We also teach respect through having them listen and follow the directions of their parents. If their parent asks them to do their chores, get ready for dinner, bed, school, etc, then they should listen to what their parents asked them to do, and complete the task. We also let them know that is is disrespectful and not appropriate for them to yell, scream, ignore, or hit their parents.

One of the most important ways that we teach the kids to have respect, is to be polite and have manners. Be polite by saying yes ma’am/yes sir, no ma’am/no sir, always saying please and thank you, and by showing gratitude when someone has done something kind towards you. Have good manners by always asking not taking (i.e. don’t take someone’s things without first asking), and taking care of not only your possessions, but those possessions of which you have borrowed.

Finally, at the end of every class, we try to go over what the Life Skill of the month is, and we always have them provide examples. We also assign them simple homework in which they have to share next time in class. By doing this, it causes them to think about the Life Skill more, and not just in class.

Every day in class, we ask them what the Life Skill of the month is (this month it is Respect), what does it mean, and we ask them in what ways can they show respect in and outside of class.